Year of the Snake
by Sherbet-Lemon1
Summary: first fic on net; Snape's little sister is a teacher at hogwarts. Her past is a great secret but what happens when it comes back to haunt her
1. Default Chapter

Chapter 1 Carmen Snape followed her elder brother into the Great Hall at 'Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry'. She had asked him if she could have her bedroom ceiling at Snape Manor like the one at Hogwarts, but he had just told her to shut up. He hadn't been best pleased with her wearing her red robe over a clingy black top and black trousers. She had told him that red went well with her golden brown skin. He had also been livid at the beginning of the summer holidays when Dumbledore had announced the new members of staff who would be joining them in September. She had been recommended by one of her teachers at 'The Blair Academy of Higher Magical Education' to teach a new compulsory course in Elementary magic, that had been introduced by the Ministry of Magic to boost NEWT scores.  
  
The top part of her long, blonde highlighted caramel brown hair was pulled back in a bun, while the rest hung freely down her back. It was difficult to see her hair though as her hat covered her head, which was fashionably tipped and had a length of red material wrapped round it at the bottom. She stole a glance out of the slightly open door in the entrance hall, and saw a mass of students making their way up to the castle. She hurried after everyone else and found her seat at the top table.  
  
Within minutes the hall was filled with chattering adolescents, mostly catching up on the latest gossip. Oddly enough, Carmen wished she was going back to school; she hadn't seen any of her friends for ages and would probably have to wait for the next holiday to see any of them again. She surveyed her fingernails trying to decide which colour would look best on them. She had just decided on silver when the doors at the end of the hall opened and Professor McGonagall strode up the gap between the house tables followed by a group of nervous looking first-years.  
  
The sorting was over quickly and Carmen watched happily as the dishes in front of her filled with food. She piled her plate high with food and began to eat.  
  
She was half way through a mouthful of chicken when Sev elbowed her in the side. She swallowed before replying. "Yes?"  
  
"You see the boy with black hair about halfway along the table on the far left." " Yeah" "That's Potter. Then opposite him is his know-it-all friend, Hermione Granger." "You say that like it's a bad thing." "It is!" "But you said I was a know-it-all." "You're not a Griffindor though." "Okay then." They finished their food in silence. Once everyone had finished eating a few start of term notices were given out, and then everyone sang the school's song. Carmen choose to sing it to My Heart Will Go On and had difficulty fitting in all the words.  
  
As everyone left the hall Carmen went up to her brother and told him; "It's amazing how you manage to sing with your mouth shut." He glared after her as she made her way up the marble staircase among a throng of students. She reached her own rooms fast enough and as soon as she had changed she slipped under the bed-cover, pre-warmed by her cats, and fell asleep among a mass of fur.  
  
Carmen was woken up at 6 o'clock by one of her cats leaping onto the bed. She stumbled across the room to her wardrobe, where she had thrown her clothes the night before. She wore pretty much the same as the night before but without her red robe or hat. She shoved her feet into her 1.5'' heeled black shoes and set off to get her breakfast.  
  
The Great Hall wasn't very full at quarter past six in the morning, there were a few early risers here and there but the hall was otherwise empty. She got herself a bowl of porridge and mixed in some jam. Part way through her meal she spotted Sev making his way up the hall, his black cloak billowing behind him. "You do make yourself look intimidating you know," she told him as he took a seat next to her. "That's the idea," he replied not looking up. "I see you've gone for the bright cheerful look this morning," he commented sarcastically, about her choice of clothes. "You too," she muttered, "Hey Sev, can I cut your hair cause it's too long." "How many times do I have to tell you NO?" "Well at least wash it once in a while it would look better." "I do wash it." "Whatever," she said to her now empty bowl. "See you later." He didn't seem to hear her.  
  
As she entered the entrance hall she was almost run over by two blurs, which turned out to be Harry Potter and his friend Ron Weasley. "Aren't there rules against running inside?" "Sorry we were in a hurry professor," Carmen wasn't used to been called that and it took a few seconds to reply. "I could see that. Don't let me catch you again." With that she let them pass and heard the girl following them scolding them, as such.  
  
What has Sev got against him? He didn't seem that bad, she thought to herself as she climbed the stairs to the third floor. She unlocked her classroom door and on reaching her desk found her timetable on top of a book she had been reading. Luckily enough she had a free period first and intended to use it to brighten up the room. Unlike the rest of the staff she had only been at the school for three days, as she had been on holiday in Hawaii, getting browner by the day. She had started working on the room; so far the floor was carpeted, rather than flag-stoned. The desks were arranged in-groups of 4 and the walls were a creamy magnolia colour. There were boxes filled with various things she had yet to set out. She spent her time arranging fine net curtains over the windows to obscure the view but not the light. Right up in the top corner was a white grand piano with silver trim. Propped up on the body of the piano was a polished wooden violin. Carmen's favourite objects.  
  
She heard the bell ring at the end of first lesson and she finished off colouring in her timetable and pinned it on the wall. Great first I have 6th year Slytherins. Fantastic, She thought slightly sarcastically. She waited until she could hear chatter outside the door she went to say they could come in. She grinned inwardly as she watched them enter; this lesson was going to be fun.  
  
An hour later everyone left either suffering from some sort of hex, that would wear off or talking about how hey wished they didn't have to go to which ever lesson they had next. The lessons carried on in the same fashion the rest of the day, and throughout the week. Though in the second week everything became a bit more serious, but the whole student population was talking about these lessons.  
  
It was Monday the 15th and Carmen was once again teaching the 6th year Slytherins but this time she was explaining the complex way to work out a counter curse using quadratic equations and She turned round to find that almost everyone was dozing off. "Wake Up!" she yelled at them. "Professor what use is this if we're in a duel I mean by the time we work these out we could be dead," said a snide voice from the back. "If you learn how to do this the long way then in a few years you'll be able to do it in seconds, Mr. Malfoy," she replied. "Then why are you taking so long about it?' he answered back. "Because if I worked it out in my head then you wouldn't learn anything would you. And that's 5 points for been cheeky." Some one else put their hand up. "What?" she snapped, her head was beginning to pound. "Do many people die doing this?" "If they get on my nerves they do. Now finish the problems on the board and if I hear so much as a peep out of anyone they'll be in detention for a week." With that she flopped down at her desk and began flipping through her diary. She was so engrossed in colouring in Sunday the 21st that when someone knocked on the door she jumped and the star she was drawing ran off into Saturday the 20th. "Come in," she said not looking up. The large mahogany door creaked open and Carmen heard the hurried steps of who ever was at the door heading toward the desk. "Sorry to interrupt but can I borrow you a second sis?" she reconised the hushed whisper as Sev's. There was an audible sense of urgency in his tone. "Is important?" she asked. "Of course it's bloody important why else would I abandon the class in the dungeons to come up here." "Well I didn't know that," seeing the glare he gave her she added, "oh fine but be quick.  
  
Once outside her brother checked there was no one about before turning to her. "Carmen we have a problem." 


	2. Please read this note!

Author note  
  
I would have had some more explanation before but I've never used the upload thing before and didn't really have a clue what I was doing, but I think I've got it now (crosses fingers). Anyway this doesn't have a genre because I don't really know what it is, so if anyone can see what it is could you enlighten me please. Also I really love it if I could get a bit of constructive criticism, because I really want to improve my writing. Thanks Sherbet_Lemon Aka. Suzy 


	3. Chapter 2 Such inventive titles

Disclaimer: Every character in here belongs to J.K.Rowling, with the exception of Carmen. Please, please review this after you've read it, it's what keeps me writing. By the way I really appreciate constructive criticism. Thank You  
  
Chapter 2 "We have a problem." "What, you chair hasn't turned carnivorous again has it," she said remembering the incident the summer before. "Carmen this is serious, look." He thrust a letter into her hands. It read;  
  
I have been informed that you know of your sister's whereabouts. If you do not tell me where I can find her within the next two weeks then someone will suffer. You cannot get out of this you know who sent this. Remember my wrath.  
  
"What are we going to do? You can't tell him where I am and you can't lie." Carmen said rubbing her temples. "Are you alright?" Sev asked concern slipping into his voice involuntarily. "I've got a bit of a headache but it's nothing to worry about." "If you say so. Anyway I'll meet you in the staff room at lunch alright?" "Sure." Sev turned on his heel and set off down the corridor just as the bell rang. When she went back inside everyone was crowded round the desks at the back. No one had heard her coming back in so she walked over to the crowd, her footfalls unheard over the chanting of 'FIGHT'. She tapped on the shoulder of a girl at the back. "So what's going on?" "Draco got into a fight with..." Her voice trailed off as she saw whom she was talking to. The crowd quickly ran back to their seats as they noticed Carmen stood behind them. The two fighting boys looked up as they noticed the crowd around them vanished, and gulped as they saw why.  
  
Ten minutes later she had given the class a collective detention and for Malfoy and Zabini they had 3 detentions and had lost their house 50 points each. Her next class was more civil and, to her relief, quiet. She sat at her desk with her head resting on her elbows and let the class get on with their work. At the end of the lesson Carmen grabbed a pile of stuff off her desk and shot off to the staff room. Sev wasn't there when she arrived so she began to work out a crossword in Witch weekly. 14 down= another name for a leprechaun. "I know this, begins with a C." She pondered what it could be for several minutes, while filing in 35 across, (Quidditch foul, flying with intent to collide) Blatching.  
  
She was about ready to give up on Sev ever getting here when the door was flung open and her rather red looking brother came in. He leaned on the door while he caught his breath. "Have you been running?" she asked. He nodded at her. "Hey, do you know the other name for a Leprechaun?" "Clauricorn," he answered looking up at her. "Oh yeah I remember now." "Come on Carmen!" She gathered up her stuff and followed him along several corridors. "What took you so long?" she asked looking up at him. He was just less than a head taller than her. "I got held up." "Never,' she said sarcastically. They ended up in front of a large stone gargoyle. "Chocolate lime," as Sev said the password the gargoyle leapt out of their way and they stepped on to the moving stairs. "Does he like chocolate limes?" Carmen asked with mild curiosity; the muggle boiled sweet was one of her favourites, along with fruit pastilles and Mars bars. She knocked on the door and a few moments later they heard a slightly muffled 'Come in' and obeyed. Carmen had never been inside Dumbledore's offices before, and was amazed at the amount of stuff he had. She thought it all looked very interesting but she would never want this much clutter, she was more of a minimalist and never hung no to things unless they were either important or had sentimental value. "Ah, Severus, Carmen," Dumbledore inclined his head slightly towards them, "there was something you wished to discuss with me." "I have received a message from the Dark Lord demanding to know Carmen's whereabouts." Sev placed the letter on the desk, before stepping back to stand next to his sister. Dumbledore frowned as he read the message. "It seems your in a lose lose situation, my friends. If on one hand you lie Voldermort will discover you are lying and the consequences will not be good, but if you tell him the truth then goodness knows what will happen to Carmen." "What can we do then," Carmen asked whilst rubbing her forehead with her hand. The pain of her headache was that sort of pain that wasn't bad enough to stop you but was enough to be distracting. "I am not sure, since you still have a fortnight to reply then I will think about your options and tell you when I have thought of a solution." "Thank you headmaster," Sev said and they turned to leave. "By the way Carmen I found this in something I was reading I thought it might interest you." She walked back to his desk and he handed her a piece of folded paper. "Thanks, I'll read it over lunch 'cause I'm starving." She joined Sev who was waiting at the door and they headed towards the great hall.  
  
When they got there Carmen found her seat had been taken so she took Sev's seat and spooned some mashed potato on to her plate. She unfolded the piece of paper; it was an article all about the uses that Egyptian Mau cats had in performing ancient spells invented before wands were in full use.  
  
Eating definitely helped with her headache, but as soon as she step inside her classroom, after she had finished eating, pain ripped through her skull as though someone was trying to tear it in two. She grabbed the doorframe to stop herself falling, whilst the agony blinded her. The pain suddenly vanished and she felt very clear headed and calm. She took a careful step forward and heard something crunch under her foot. She lifted her foot and found several pieces of wood beneath it. That looks like my wand, but I never remember dropping it, she thought as she knelt down to pick up the pieces. Oh shit! I broke my wand. What am I going to do? She glanced up at the clock on the wall; there was still quarter of an hour until lunch ended.  
  
"Can you do anything with it?" Carmen asked leaning over her brother's desk. "Not immediately, but you could take it to be repaired," he replied pushing the pieces back across to her. "How long would that take?" she queried, she didn't want to have to use wandless magic for too long, it meant she need about an extra hours sleep. "About a week." "That isn't too bad I guess." "Yes well you better get off now, bye." He had gotten up from behind his desk and was ushering her out of his office. 


End file.
